Forever In A Day
by Cammy
Summary: AU Sometime saying goodbye is the hardest and easiest thing you'll ever do.


Title: Forever In A Day

Rating: PG

Author's Note: This should not be how I spend the hours waiting for Season 3 but it is. I apologize for any mistakes in Czech words I used. And there will be no sequel to this.

* * *

The end is everything she imagined and nothing like she imagined. One moment she was facing a Wraith armada of the likes that had never been seen, and the next she was standing in the Control Room facing her Expedition.

Every last one of them. Even those she knew to be dead.

"Huh," Rodney McKay broke the silence, "so that was it."

"It looks like it," John Sheppard pushed himself away from the wall he had been leaning on. He looked to her. "What now?"

She was silent for a moment. She could hear the ocean and she could, at last, hear Atlantis. Atlantis did not know what was next either. "I have," she informed them regretfully, "no idea."

"I do," a woman spoke beside her. Elizabeth jumped and the instinctively everyone else in the room reached for the weapons they no longer had.

"Who are you?" she asked when she regained her breath. She gave Sheppard, McKay, Teyla and Ford a quick smile when all four appeared next to her.

"I am Oma Desala," the woman replied in a serene voice.

"You're the one who helped Doctor Jackson to Ascend," Elizabeth finally forced out after a minute of stunned silence. Oma Desala nodded.

"Are we Ascending?" Ford asked with wide eyes. That brought murmurs from everyone else and a few people shifted where the stood.

"Only if you chose to," Oma told them with a smile, "Any who do not wish to can pass on to their rest."

Elizabeth looked at her people. None of them moved. She turned back to Oma Desala.

"It looks like we accept your offer," she told her. Oma smiled again.

"Wait," Rodney interrupted, "can we say goodbye first?"

Oma Desala paused then nodded. "You may say your final goodbyes."

* * *

Halling looked to the stars. He knew not how he came to be on Athos again but he welcomed the feel of home now lost. Jinto stood by his side, silent and thoughtful. The deaths of the Atlanteans and Teyla weighed heavily on the child. Charin stood next to him, humming a song of goodbye.

"You need not fear for me," a quiet voice disturbed the silence that had fallen around the three. All three turned to face the voice, Halling instinctively stepping in front of Jinto.

"Teyla," Halling breathed, "how…?" He could not finish the question. He had never thought to see his Leader again until his own death.

She smiled at them and walked forward until she could grasp Charin's hand. "I walk among the Ancestors now."

Jinto's eyes widened. "All of you?"

Teyla nodded. Charin looked happier than Halling had seen her in years. "Then you are still with us."

Teyla gave them a blinding smile and Halling felt a smile of his own creep across his face. The Atlanteans were truly Atlanteans now.

Teyla borrowed her head and touched her forehead with Charin, then Halling and finally she kneeled to say goodbye to Jinto.

Still kneeling she looked to Jinto. "We walk among the stars now, Jinto," she told him softly, "you need to look no further then them to find us."

* * *

Jeannie watched as Sarah and Adam raced across the lawn. Their playful screams made her smile. Her parents would never have allowed this. She understood what they never could; children were the greatest joy anyone could ask for.

"I didn't understand before," Rodney told her quietly. He stood beside her on the porch. She turned to face him, never having heard his tone before. "Why you gave it up I mean," his eyes never once left his niece and nephew who he had never met.

She smiled at him. This was the fist real conversation between the two of them. "Family is important. I despaired of you ever realizing that."

Rodney laughed. "I learned it, before the end."

A chill crept up her spine and she watched a particular strong gust of wind blow a couple of leaves off the old Maple Tree. She watched as the red and gold leaves twirled in the air.

"You could have been great," he told her softly, "That's why I was so angry. They only person who had the potential to be smarter than me was walking away. I couldn't understand why."

"They were worth it," she told him softly. He smiled at her, something she had never seen before, and squeezed her hand.

"Yeah, they are," he looked at her gently, "Family is something worth dying for."

Jeannie woke up crying. When Robert asked what was wrong, she looked at him and said, "I think my brother's dead."

And when the Air Force arrived two weeks later, Jeannie couldn't explain how she already knew.

* * *

Marsha laughed as she watched her youngest grandchildren's water fight. They young had so much energy these days. Bill laughed as well and cheered when Rachel attacked Sam and Cameron with the hose.

"I'm gonna miss this," a wistful voice said next to her. Both she and Bill looked to see Aiden standing next to them, watching his cousins with a longing look.

"You could join them," she told him, "You're not too old."

Aiden laughed, but the sound was tinged with sadness. "Maybe but it's too late."

"It's never too late," Bill shook his head, giving Aiden a fond look. Though he tried not to show it, Aiden was Bill's favorite grandchild.

Aiden just smiled. "This time it is. I just wanted to see you one last time."

Marsha looked at her grandson and for a moment didn't see a causally dressed Aiden. Instead she saw a soldier on his last march. She closed her eyes and fought back tears.

She knew in that moment.

Bill looked at Aiden for a long time before stepping forward and hugging Aiden tightly. "You made me proud son," his gruff voice broke, "You made me proud."

Aiden closed his eyes and hugged his grandfather back just as tightly. "Thank you," he whispered.

When Bill let him go Marsha hugged him. She held Aiden close and remembered birthdays long gone, graduations and smiles she would never see again.

"Goodbye," she whispered. He pulled back and gave her one last smile.

Bill and Marsha stared at the picture of Aiden for a long time the next day. When Lauren told them he would be back, they could not reply.

* * *

Simon smiled as he watched Elizabeth relax in the garden. The scene was so familiar, he had lost count how many times he had seen it.

"Hey," he greeted as he sat down next to her. She lazily opened one eye and grinned at him.

"This is nice," she sighed and stretched.

He chuckled. "You look comfortable. I was almost afraid to disturb you."

She smiled. "I'm glad you did. I've got something to tell you."

He looked at her and behind her the garden faded away and became an ocean. He felt his throat tighten.

"You're not coming back," he asked her softly, "are you?"

She sadly shook her head. Simon closed his eyes and held Elizabeth close.

Two days later Simon asked Alice out. She gave him a brilliant smile and the pang in his chest lessened.

* * *

Franklin laughed as he dribbled the ball past his older brother. He whooped when the shot went in.

"Man," he grinned at his brother, "I remember when you use to be good."

Edmund rolled his eyes and playfully shoved Frank. "Yeah yeah."

Frank laughed. Edmund just shook his head. "I remember the days when you were shot," he groused.

"Pretty soon I'll be taller than you," Frank smirked.

"That is just wrong," Edmund gave a disgusted sigh and began to dribble the basketball. A pensive look came over his face and he began to dribble slowly. "I'm sorry we never made it."

Frank paused and looked at his brother. His brother looked sad almost. "Never made what?"

"The Lakers game I promised to take you too," his brother explained softly.

Frank rubbed his arms, suddenly feeling cold. "It's alright, there will be others."

Edmund looked him in the eye and suddenly the familiar sounds of the city faded away to be replaced by the sounds of an ocean. "No," Edmund told him quietly, "There won't be."

* * *

Penelope gave her son a bright grin as she hustled about the kitchen. The routine was familiar to her; even when he was in Medical School Carson drove down the first Sunday of every month to have dinner with her.

"How have you been Mum?" her baby boy asked with concern in his voice.

"I've been good Carson, she assured him as she checked the temperature on the oven, "Been keeping up with everything, just like you said to."

Carson gave her a relieved smile. "I was worried about you."

She chuckled. "Well you don't need to be. And what about you? Have you been taking care of yourself?"

He smiled at her then, a smile she had never seen on her son before, "Yes and no, I'm afraid Mother."

She frowned at him and began to uneasily twist her apron. "That's not an answer Carson."

His smile turned sad. "Yes it is."

She closed her eyes but she could see the truth in her son's eyes.

For the next two weeks she worked in her garden and ignored the Air Force officers when they arrived. She knew what they were going to say anyway.

* * *

She leaned against him as he pointed out all the different stars to her. Uncle Radek had always been her favorite family member. He told all the best stories and shared with her all kinds of interesting things. Even if Mother did not think she needed to know what the Theory of Relativity was.

She liked Uncle Radek because he said she was the only decent child on Earth. It made her feel special, to know that she alone of all her siblings and cousins was the one he enjoyed spending time with.

"You cannot see it from here," her Uncle sighed sadly. She glanced at him curiously but he did not look down at her. Instead he looked to the stars.

"Cannot see what?" she asked as she craned her neck upwards to see all the stars she could.

"Pegasus," he whispered reverently, "Atlantis."

Maya looked to him, unsure if he spoke the truth. But she saw the look on Uncle's face and knew he did.

"Is it pretty there?" she snuggled closer to him, feeling adrift though he had one arm around her.

"_Skvele_," he whispered with awe and longing in his voice.

"Do you think I'll see it someday?" he looked down at her sadly now. He bent down and kissed the top of her head.

"_Sbohem," _he whispered to her, a tear falling down his face, _"Sbohem."_

It haunted her dreams for years to come, even after she herself reached the stars.

* * *

He looked out the window. He could easily see the people outside, whether they were tourists gawking or residents walking hurriedly to some unknown destination. Doctor Elizabeth Weir sighed next to him.

"I had forgotten how beautiful Washington DC is," she told him with a smile.

He found his own lips twitch in response. "So did I," he admitted to her.

She shook her head. "On Atlantis I could always see her beauty. Even when the world was ending."

"I bet it was lovely," he whispered, unable to keep the awe from his voice.

Doctor Weir leaned back slightly and closed her eyes, her features relaxing as she recalled Atlantis. "It was."

He looked to her. "The Daedalus is ready now, you know." She laughed and he did as well. The irony of it was bitter.

"Well the Wraith aren't all gone," she admitted to him, "just most of them."

"We'll be ready," he assured her. He met her eyes, sadly and with a bit of reluctance, "I should never have agreed."

She shook her head in disagreement. "Don't regret it. We don't."

"I should have sent the Daedalus sooner," he told her, wondering if the guilt would ever leave him. The Atlantis Expedition had been left alone for three years and now they were gone. As though they had never existed.

"It's alright," she smiled at him, "We never thought twice about our decision."

"We did," he told her softly.

She patted his arm. "I know."

When Richard Hayes, President of the United States of America, received the confirmation reports from the Daedalus of the deaths of the Atlantis Expedition, he closed his eyes and wondered if, truly, it had been worth it.

* * *

James Sheppard was a stubborn man and did not regret things easily. Both were traits he passed onto his willful son. John stood next to him, now, as they overlooked the ocean on a cliff.

They spoke no words. In the distance a City lay before them. Strong and proud and it stirred something in Richard's soul. John looked at it with something akin to rapture on his face.

As everything began to fade, Richard turned to his son and grabbed him into a tight hug. John stiffened before relaxing and clung to him in a way his son hadn't since he was eight and his mother died.

Two weeks later the Air Force told him what he already knew. Instead of seeking comfort from his family and friends, he drove to his wife's grave and stayed there well into the night.

* * *

Jack leaned against the balcony, his eyes closed as he listened to the waves and Atlantis. She called to something deep inside him, more so than anything in Antarctica did. Major Sheppard stood beside him, his eyes closed as well.

"She's beautiful," he told Sheppard softly, opening his eyes to look out across the ocean. Sheppard slowly opened his eyes too and smiled.

"She is. I wish you could have seen her sir."

Sheppard's word ignited a longing in his chest. The hardest thing he had ever done was let the Atlantis Expedition leave without him.

"So do I Major," he sighed, "so do I."

The two remained silent as they listened to Atlantis sing. Jack wondered, briefly, if anyone but Sheppard had heard her when they were alive. He doubted it.

"Make sure you don't become too Ancienty okay?" He turned to look at the man who, years ago, had flown them both to doorway of Atlantis.

"Ancienty?" Sheppard sounded amused. Jack just nodded and wagged his finger.

"I remember what Daniel was like. If I find out you've been speaking in metaphors Sheppard, I'll kick your ass."

Sheppard threw back his head and laughed. "Yes sir," he said as he wiped tears of laughter away. Sheppard smiled then, stood straight and saluted. Jack smiled back and returned the salute.

Jack turned back to the ocean then. He knew he would grieve for not only the Expedition members but for Atlantis herself as well.

Major General Jack O'Neill handed in his letter of resignation on the one year anniversary of the Atlantis Expedition's deaths.

* * *

Sam glanced around the lab. It was full of equipment that she didn't recognize. The tools were a curious mix of Earth and a far more advance culture.

"Hello Colonel Carter," a voice said quietly beside her. She turned and saw Doctor McKay next to her, wearing his Atlantis uniform.

"McKay," she said in surprise. He was the last person he expected to see and as she looked at him, a slow sinking feeling filled her.

"This isn't a dream," she asked quietly, "is it?"

He shook his head. "No. We're saying our final goodbyes."

"Oh," she looked around at the lab. Tools were scattered about and whiteboards had both finished and half finished equations on it. She wondered how the end came. "Why me?" she looked to him.

He looked rueful. "You honestly can't guess."

She smiled then. She had never returned his feelings but she did know of them. It amused her because, really, the two had never gotten along. Now, though, it saddened her.

She reached out and squeezed his hand. "I'll miss you too."

That year, Sam dragged the other original members of SG-1 out to see Niagara Falls.

* * *

Daniel walked along side Elizabeth as they walked down the winding path to the beach.

"I must admit," he finally spoke, "I didn't expect you to say goodbye to me."

Elizabeth laughed softly. "You were nice," she said, referring to the time she had taken temporary command of Stargate Command.

Daniel smiled. "Try not to lose yourselves out there, okay?"

She nodded. "We'll try not to."

They paused and looked out to the water. The Atlantis Expedition was there. He could see familiar faces. He remembered them. Remembered what it was like to see the walk through the Stargate and never return.

There were some he did not recognize and he grieved for them anyway. But it was the woman standing with Major Sheppard, Lieutenant Ford, Doctor McKay and another woman he didn't know that caught his eye.

She looked human but when he looked at her, he could also see gleaming pillars rising above the sea and towers.

"Atlantis," he breathed.

Elizabeth nodded next to him. "Of course. She came with us."

He turned to her. "She was sentiment?"

Elizabeth nodded and grief was more came over him. Earth had lost good people but he also grieved for the last Atlanteans. They took their knowledge of Atlantis with them. Reports didn't cover everything after all.

Doctor Weir turned to him and shook his hand. "It was an honor Doctor Jackson."

He smiled at her and watched as she descended the path alone to rejoin her people. He watched in silence as the Expedition walked into the ocean and vanished.

He wondered for the rest of his life what it was like.


End file.
